


A Most Important Question

by twtd



Series: A Magic All Its Own [6]
Category: The Worst Witch - All Media Types
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-09 22:36:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17413832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twtd/pseuds/twtd
Summary: Hecate asks Pippa an important question.A story from the A Magic All Its Own universe.Once the press release was out there, it really would become official and once it became official everything would change. It was a theme in her life this year. Hecate was terrified.





	A Most Important Question

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted in Snow on Snow but I'm pulling it out for ease of finding it.

Hecate didn't know why she was nervous, but she was. Her hands tremored slightly as she held the piece of paper in them. She read it over.

_Published 1st of January, 2019.  
Her Majesty, Queen Hecate, and Ms. Pippa Pentangle are engaged to be married._

_Her Majesty is pleased to announce her engagement to Ms. Pippa Pentangle._

_Her Majesty and Ms. Pentangle became engaged over the Christmas holidays._

_The wedding will take place in the Autumn of 2019 with further details to be released in due course._

Once the press release was out there, it really would become official and once it became official everything would change. It was a theme in her life this year. Hecate was terrified. She could already anticipate the backlash. It had been bad enough after she had told the public she was a lesbian. The op-eds about how she was ruining the moral fiber of the country, about how she was a disgrace to the crown and the church, had been harder to brush off than she had wanted them to be. The death threats… those were another matter entirely. Oh, she always fielded some, that was simply part of being a public figure, but the increase had been alarming and they had quietly increased her security until the fervor had died down. She hadn't told Pippa. Perhaps she should have, but really, there was nothing Pippa could have done besides fret about it, so Hecate hadn't seen the need. Now, once the engagement went public, she would have to be told. She would have to have security of her own.

Hecate rubbed her free hand over her forehead. There was so much to worry about. The longer they kept things quiet, the longer Hecate could pretend that wasn't the case. But Pippa was right. They couldn't keep their relationship a secret, even an open secret, forever. After the debacle with Mildred, Hecate had learned sooner was often better than later for these sorts of things. She couldn't very well give Pippa her Christmas present without the accompanying announcement. Whether they said something or not, an 18th-century diamond ring from the royal vault would make things more than clear. 

Hecate took the press release and placed it in an envelope. Perhaps she should just give Pippa the ring, but she didn't want her intentions to be misconstrued. The ring wasn't something just for Pippa to wear in private. She wrote Pippa’s name on the envelope and placed it on the Christmas tree. Pippa would be there soon. They were planning on exchanging gifts in just a few minutes. Hecate moved over to one of the chairs in front of the fireplace and sat to await Pippa's arrival. 

Hecate had just enough time to start thinking again before Pippa walked in. 

"So this is where you've been hiding," Pippa said. She smiled at Hecate as she slid onto her lap and looped her arms around her neck. A quick kiss later and she ran her fingers along the hair at the nape of Hecate's neck. "You're not actually hiding from me, are you?" Pippa joked. 

"Not at all. I simply needed to think something through. And to prepare your gift." Hecate nodded toward the tree. 

Pippa looked over. "A letter? That wasn't there earlier." She turned back to Hecate. "Have you written me something terribly romantic?" 

“It's your present. You should open it and find out." Hecate dropped her hands from around Pippa's waist. They had found their way there automatically when Pippa had sat on her lap but she had to consciously let go. 

“Leaving it a bit to the last minute, aren't you?" Pippa asked good-naturedly. "This had better not be an IOU,” she said. She placed a light kiss on Hecate's lips. 

Hecate smiled. “It’s an IOU of a sort.” 

Pippa looked at Hecate curiously but got up and walked over to the tree. She picked up the envelope and opened the flap, giving the contents a quick glance. She cocked her head to the side and took in the letterhead. Hecate held her breath. Pippa looked up at Hecate before she read its contents. “Is this a press release?”

“It is,” Hecate said simply. 

Pippa furrowed her eyebrows and turned back to the paper. 

Hecate could tell when Pippa read the headline as she sucked in a sharp breath. She noticed Pippa’s hands start to shake by the trembling of the paper. At least they would both be shakey together. 

“We’re getting engaged?” Pippa asked with a wavering voice. 

“I thought we might. Officially,” Hecate said. She stood and pulled the ring from her pocket. It had been sitting in there for hours and it was warm from her body heat as she had passed her fingers over it. 

Pippa looked at her in shock and awe. “You don’t want to say we’re dating first?”

“I don’t want to date you. I want to marry you,” Hecate replied. She brushed some of the hair back from Pippa's face. "If you don't like the ring, I have a vault full of them," Hecate said as she held it up for Pippa's inspection. "I thought this one would suit you, though."

Pippa made an indistinct noise as she looked at the ring. "It's... Would you…?" 

Hecate knew what she was trying to say. She took Pippa's hand and slid it onto her left ring finger. She got caught up in looking down at Pippa's hand. Now that the ring was on it, it felt so much more real. She really was going to marry Pippa. 

"I love you," Pippa whispered. She looked at her own hand then back at Hecate. She wrapped both her of arms around Hecate and pulled her down into a ferocious kiss. Hecate kissed her back. This… this feeling… this was going to make it all worth it. 

"I love you too," Hecate murmured against Pippa's lips. 

"The ring is perfect," Pippa said as she stayed close to Hecate. She folded herself into Hecate's arms. "I don't have anything nearly so lovely for you." 

"I don't need anything," Hecate responded. "I have you."

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are awesome and I'm on tumblr @twtd11


End file.
